Perry, Hutter, Michalak and Francois added to U.S. World Team Trials field as wildcards

Chris Perry battles Jon Reader at the 2014 U.S. World Team Trials. Photo: John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Kyle Hutter (Virginia Beach, Va./Titan Mercury WC), Chris Perry (Stillwater, Okla./Titan Mercury WC), Wynn Michalak (Champaign, Ill./Titan Mercury WC) and Enock Francois (West Point, N.Y./New York AC) have been added as additional wildcards in the men’s freestyle field for the U.S. World Team Trials in Madison, Wis., June 14-15.

The four additional wildcard entrants were unable to qualify for the U.S. World Team Trials by either placing top five at the U.S. Open or winning one of the two regional qualifiers.

Following qualification tournaments, all four wrestlers applied for a wildcard at their respective weight classes, but did not receive the U.S. World Team Trials wildcard berth.

After official release of the seven wildcards for the men’s freestyle field, select athletes pursued an appeal of the wildcard decisions based upon provisions within Article XI of USA Wrestling’s By-Laws that gives affected individuals the right to request investigation and resolution of the matter.

Since the U.S. World Team Trials is a protected competition, all wildcard applicants that met criteria to apply were notified of the appeals process after the official release of the wildcards.

Overseeing the review of these requests, as permitted in the by-laws provision, was USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender, who worked in conjunction with U.S. National Freestyle Head Coach Bruce Burnett and a three-person wildcard subcommittee comprised of members of the Freestyle Sport Committee, to resolve the matter of appeals.

Upon review of the appeals submitted, Hutter, Perry, Michalak and Francois were granted additional wildcards.

Hutter, who finished in eighth place at the 2015 U.S. Open, has been added to the field at 61 kg/134 lbs. He met wildcard criteria by placing third at the 2013 U.S. World Team Trials.

Perry, who met wildcard criteria by placing third at the U.S. World Team Trials last year, suffered an injury at the U.S. Open preventing him from qualifying for the World Team Trials this weekend. He has now been added to the field at 86 kg/189 lbs.

Both Michalak and Francois have been added to the 97 kg/213 lbs. field to compete in Madison.

Michalak finished in sixth place at the U.S. Open last month and met wildcard criteria by way of winning the 2013 NYAC International. Similarly, Francois finished with seventh place honors at the U.S. Open and met wildcard criteria by winning the 2014 Bill Farrell International.

The complete U.S. World Team Trials field in the men’s freestyle division can be found below.

57 kg/125.5 lbs.
Final Wrestle-off Qualifier
2015 U.S. Open champion- Tony Ramos, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC)
Trials Tournament Qualifiers
2015 U.S. Open second place – Andrew Hochstrasser, Boise, Idaho (Titan Mercury WC)
2015 U.S. Open third place – Nick Simmons, Bloomington, Ind. (Sunkist Kids)
2015 U.S. Open fourth place – Joe Colon. Cedar Falls, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC),
2015 U.S. Open fifth place – Matt McDonough, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC)
2015 Northeast Senior Regionals champion - Bradley Pataky, West Point, N.Y. (West Point WC)
2015 Northern Plains Senior Regionals champion – Frank Perrelli, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC)
Wildcard selection – Angel Escobedo, Ames, Iowa (New York AC)

61 kg/134 lbs.
Final Wrestle-off Qualifier
2015 U.S. Open champion- Reece Humphrey, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC)
Trials Tournament Qualifiers
2015 U.S. Open second place – Kendric Maple, Norman, Okla. (New York AC),
2015 U.S. Open third place – Coleman Scott, Chapel Hill, N.C. (Sunkist Kids)
2015 U.S. Open fourth place – Daniel Dennis, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC)
2015 U.S. Open fifth place – Jon Morrison, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC)
2015 Northeast Senior Regionals champion - Joey Lazor, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Panther WC RTC)
2015 Northern Plains Senior Regionals champion – Tyler Graff, Dublin Ohio (NYAC)
Wildcard selection – Joey McKenna, Towaco, N.J. (Lehigh Valley AC)
Wildcard selection – Kyle Hutter, Virginia Beach, Va. (Titan Mercury WC)

65 kg/143 lbs.
Final Wrestle-off Qualifier
2015 U.S. Open champion- Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC)
Trials Tournament Qualifiers
2015 U.S. Open second place – Jordan Oliver, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids
2015 U.S. Open third place – Kellen Russell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (NYAC)
2015 U.S. Open fourth place – Logan Stieber, Monroeville, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC)
2015 U.S. Open fifth place – Frank Molinaro, State College, Pa. (NLWC)
2015 Northeast Senior Regionals champion - Jayson Ness, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
2015 Northern Plains Senior Regionals champion – Jason Chamberlain, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska Wrestling TC)
Wildcard selection – Jimmy Kennedy, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC)

70 kg/154 lbs.
Final Wrestle-off Qualifier
2015 U.S. Open champion- Nick Marable, Morgantown, W.Va. (Sunkist Kids
Trials Tournament Qualifiers
2015 U.S. Open second place – Dustin Schlatter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm),
2015 U.S. Open third place – James Green, Willingboro, N.J. (Titan Mercury WC)
2015 U.S. Open fourth place – Kevin LeValley, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
2015 U.S. Open fifth place – Derek St. John, Fargo, N.D. (Titan Mercury WC)
2015 Northeast Senior Regionals champion – Nazar Kulchytskyy, Madison, Wis. (Titan Mercury WC)
2015 Northern Plains Senior Regionals champion – Adam Hall, Raleigh, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC)
Wildcard selection – Moza Fay, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)

74 kg/163 lbs.
Final Wrestle-off Qualifier
2014 World bronze medalist – Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids/Nebraska RTC)
Trials Tournament Qualifiers
2015 U.S. Open champion- David Taylor, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)
2015 U.S. Open second place – Andrew Howe, Norman, Okla. (NYAC)
2015 U.S. Open third place – Anthony Valencia, Pico Rivera, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)
2015 U.S. Open fourth place – Tyler Caldwell, Stillwater, Okla. (Sunkist Kids)
2015 U.S. Open fifth place – Colton Sponseller, Edinboro, Pa. (NYAC)
2015 Northeast Senior Regionals champion – Kyle Dake, Ithaca, N.Y. (Titan Mercury WC/Finger Lakes WC RTC)
2015 Northern Plains Senior Regionals champion – Quinton Godley, Raleigh, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC)

86 kg/189 lbs.
Final Wrestle-off Qualifier
2015 U.S. Open champion- Jake Herbert, Ann Arbor, Mich. (NYAC)
Trials Tournament Qualifiers
2015 U.S. Open second place – Keith Gavin, Charlottesville, Va. (Titan Mercury WC),
2015 U.S. Open third place – Edward Ruth, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids)
2015 U.S. Open fourth place – Deron Winn, Ames, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC)
2015 U.S. Open fifth place – Jon Reader, Brookings, S.D. (Sunkist Kids)
2015 Northeast Senior Regionals champion – Richard Perry, Washington, D.C. (NYAC/Penn WC)
2015 Northern Plains Senior Regionals champion – Phil Keddy, Iowa City, Iowa. (Titan Mercury WC)
Wildcard selection – Clayton Foster, Laramie, Wyo. (GRIT Athletics/Cowboy WC)
Wildcard selection – Chris Perry, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC)

97 kg/213 lbs.
Final Wrestle-off Qualifier
2015 U.S. Open champion- Kyle Snyder, Woodbine, Md. (Titan Mercury WC)
Trials Tournament Qualifiers
2015 U.S. Open second place – Jake Varner, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC),
2015 U.S. Open third place – J.D. Bergman, Columbus, Ohio (NYAC)
2015 U.S. Open fourth place – J`den Cox, Columbia, Mo. (Missouri Wrestling Foundation)
2015 U.S. Open fifth place – Cayle Byers, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC)
2015 Northeast Senior Regionals champion – David Zabriskie, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC)
2015 Northern Plains Senior Regionals champion – Micah Burak, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC/OTC)
Wildcard selection – Dustin Kilgore, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids/OTC)
Wildcard selection – Wynn Michalak, Champaign, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC)
Wildcard selection – Enock Francois, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York AC)

125 kg/275 lbs.
Final Wrestle-off Qualifier
2014 World bronze medalist – Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids/Ohio RTC)
Trials Tournament Qualifiers
2015 U.S. Open second place – Zach Rey, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC)
2015 U.S. Open third place – Dom Bradley, Morgantown, W.Va. (Sunkist Kids WC)
2015 U.S. Open fourth place – Nick Gwiazdowski, Delanson, N.Y. (NYAC)
2015 U.S. Open fifth place – Tyrell Fortune, Phoenix, Ariz. (Titan Mercury WC)
2015 Northeast Senior Regionals champion – Connor Medbery, Madison, Wis. (Titan Mercury WC)
Wildcard selection – Adam Coon, Fowlerville, Mich. (Cliff Keen WC)